William Shakespeare-Plagiarist? Poem by John F. McCullagh

We knew of your use of Holinshed; that you "borrowed" from Plutarch's Lives"
We suspected you dredged for characters in various bars and dives.
Now scholars have discovered your main source of "Richard the Third"
From which you borrowed liberally, and sometimes word for word.
Macbeth, King Lear, the gang's all here -you scene steal-er you!
(You rummaged Marlowe's "The Jew of Malta" for your Venetian Jew.)
Sophisticated software has snared you in its trap;
As you read North's manuscript, I betyou never thought of that!


Since you are my favorite dramatist, I'm inclined to let this pass.
If you were a college Freshman- I'd be seeing you after class!